Retail Trends 2025 in Austria - A Case Study

The aim of this paper is to identify and evaluate megatrends and associated macrotrends which shape the Austrian retail industry in 2025. In particular, the maturity (i.e. the stage of development) and the potential (i.e. the likelihood of a trend to grow, influence, or sustain impact over time) of industry-specific trends will be assessed. A diverse group of scientific and corporate experts coming from different areas of the retail industry gathered within a World Café setting to evaluate trends. The results show that the diverse perspectives of corporate representatives from the retail sector, along with experts from academia, and the collaborative dialogue on the significance of megatrends and macrotrends supported companies in establishing proactive trend work and a shared understanding of trends. The participating companies created valuable insights into the analysis and interpretation of the six megatrends - Sustainability, Omnichannel Consumerism, Logistics and Information Communication Technology, Future Skillsets, Caring Society and Age of Disorder - as well as the associated 38 macrotrends. Based on these insights, the trends were systematically analysed in the focus groups regarding their maturity and potential for the Austrian retail sector in 2025. Using the collected data, the trends were classified and visualized along the innovation phases: "Act,""Prepare", "Observe"and "Notice."This classification provides a solid foundation for the strategic alignment of innovative business models and sustainably strengthens the management of trends in a corporate context. As a result, a set of trends (megatrends and macrotrends) was identified for the Austrian retail sector, which will significantly influence this industry in 2025.